Death Becomes Her

• chapter 6 •

The Doctor:

Pulling up to the funeral home, we all hopped out of Charles' coach. Charles helped Eliza down before going to the door to knock. Coming out of the carriage, I offered my arm to Eliza, who took it automatically and pulled me to the door.

"I'm sorry, sir we're closed," the girl who opened the door said. I heard Eliza scoff next to me and move next to Charles.

"Nonsense. Since when did an undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master." Charles kept a demanding tone with the girl. Eliza stared her down with a blank face.

"Is she... is she doing what she did to me? Reading the person? " I thought to myself as I began to move up right behind her. I put my hand on her shoulder.

"He's not in, sir," the girl muttered. With that, she tried to shut the door on us, but Charles intercepted it.

"Don't lie to me, child! Summon the master!"

"I'm awfully sorry, Mr. Dickens, but the master is indisposed." The girl tried to reason again, this time with a look of guilt. Behind her, the lamps on the walls flickered as the flames grew.

"Having trouble with your gas?" I asked. Charles and Eliza looked at it, too.

"What in the Shakespeare is going on?" Charles asked in confusion, glaring at the lamps. Eliza rolled her eyes and walked past the girl to get a better look at the lamps, and I followed behind to take a peek as well.

"You're not allowed inside, sir," the girl gasped. We barged in despite her shock.

"There's something inside the walls," Eliza muttered, ear pressed against the wall with confusion on her face. She glanced up at me, slightly tapping on the wall. I listened as well.

"The gas pipes," I said. "Something's living inside the gas." I gasped in awe. Something strange is here inside this house.

"Let me out! Open the door!" Suddenly, I heard Rose's faint voice yell from further in the house. Eliza was already running to the sound of her voice with a gasp.

"That's her!" I told Charles, and the two of us followed soon after her.

"How dare you, sir! This is my house." The undertaker tried to stop us as we ran, but Eliza merely brushed past him without so much as a glance.

"Let me out, somebody open the door!" We heard another yell as we neared the room. "Open the door!"

The yells got more and more frantic with the pounding on the door. Eliza rushed to open it, only to find it locked. She tried pushing it again, giving out a yelp as I pulled her away to kick it open. Keeping my hand on Eliza's arm, I walked into the room to see Rose, trapped and captured by ghoul-like creatures.

With swift hands, I pulled Rose from the creatures' grasps. She automatically went toward Eliza, who held her like a mother consoling her child.

"It's a prank. Must be. We're under some mesmeric influence," Charles said in shock as the ghouls stared at us.

"No, the dead are walking," I said before turning to Rose, still cradled in Eliza's arms, "Hi." I smiled.

"Hi. Who's your friend?" Rose asked, slightly muffled through Eliza's dress. Eliza loosened her grip some.

"Charles Dickens," Eliza said in a hard tone, glaring at the ghouls. She glanced between Rose and the ghouls, and I noticed them not even looking at her-- it was as if they didn't see her.

"My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?" I demanded, moving slightly in front of Eliza and Rose. Eliza could still be seen behind me as she glared on.